Chaotic belongs to TCDigital.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Is this thing where you play video games too much and forget to let us write going to be a trend?

Don't pin it all on me this time. You really didn't want to write this chapter. I can tell.

You're right...

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Listen

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Food. Clothing. Bandages. Tonics. All this and more, costing almost every coin I had. The vehicle hovers low with all the weight, the engine spitting curses at the strain, but still I drive, faster than bandits, swifter than beasts.

I drive. I listen. I wait.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Days of overheard experiments, most beyond my comprehension, others not worth the energy to remember. As I set up camp this evening, though, I hear something that drives me to give the voices on the other end of the spying ear my full attention.

"Y-your Majesty," Agitos's voice stammers. "What are you doing here?"

"I will be watching this latest experiment in person," Chaor replies. "I have read Ulmar's reports, but to see it for myself..."

Chaor's voice is... strange. Subdued. Uneasy. I have heard it in his voice before, though only in futures that no longer exist, never in each lives' shared past. He sounds almost thoughtful.

Ulmar's voice sounds out with a metallic twang, projected from some other room. "Yes, yes, but in the observation room!" The voice stops abruptly, likely at some signal I cannot see.

"Agitos," Chaor continues, "replace the wine." Ulmar's voice rises in outrage briefly, but Chaor interrupts. "A weapon is useless if you never use it, Ulmar. If this creature is what you say he is, then..."

A silence follows, then the sound of a door opening and closing. A few moments later, a rattling of chains.

Ulmar's irate voice calls out, "Chaor, what are you doing? Put those chains back on the subject."

A growl. A ruffling of cloth.

"You are introducing too many variables! Stop this instant!

"Silence." Not a shout, just a statement. Another rattling of chains, then another stretch of silence.

"Fresh, untainted wine," Agitos's voice sounds while the door creaks. "My apologies for questioning your motives, Chaor, but why are you carrying the Human's clothing?"

There is no answer from Chaor, simply a grunt and an order. "Fold these." Then the door opens and shuts.

So, Chaor personally stripped Michael of his clothing. This is just going to get worse, isn't it?

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

UnderWorld City is in sight today. I can be at any gate within the hour. As soon as I can find any kind of opening, the rescue can begin.

My hopes are high that it will be soon. During this last stretch of driving today, I overheard is little performance with various BattleGear. The moment Michael gets his hands on a diamond of vlaric, the pieces will all be in place, and he can get out of this hellish place. Right now, though, it seems Chaor has arranged for another bath.

A click of a tongue. "Ah, nothing better, yes?" A clink of metal, then a splash of water.

"Yeah, a nice jacuzzi soak is really the best way to end an exhausting day." Michael's voice is tense.

"A nice what?"

A smaller splash of water. "Jacuzzi, spa, whatever. Human thing, where the brand name for something ends up being used as its common name, or something like that."

"Right." A gruff sigh. "No, I mean, nothing better than living a life of luxury."

"That too."

"I envy you, Michael. You can have more than just one lifetime of all of this. And endless life, wanting for nothing, having everything..."

Michael's ever-present heartbeat speeds up. "Minus the whole, you know, you trying to kill me at the start of each one. I'm not sure I could handle having to prove myself to you with all Ulmar's experiments every time I start over."

"...Yes, we need to address that."

"...Kiru City gets attacked by a Mipedian Conjuror three days after Humans arrive in Perim."

Where are you going with this, Michael?

"...Yes, I heard about that. Too late to take advantage of it, of course."

Another splash of water. "That's just it. Three days is too short a warning for you to profit off of the attack, yes, but it's soon enough for you to verify!"

"So, you lead off with that on your first day..."

"And I both prove my power and earn your trust when the attack actually happens! A-assuming I actually have earned your trust, that is?"

Aha. Of course, you would have discovered an opportunity.

After a pause, Chaor speaks again. "Sit here."

Water splashes around for a while, then a sound of wood sliding across stone. "I had this whole speech prepared, where I would try to convince you that you could trust me. I had it set in my mind that you were the one who needed convincing, and now I see that you were thinking the same about me."

"Oh." A forced chuckle. "A little bit like A Tale of Two Fools, then."

Clever addition, Michael.

"I guess I can see the comparison. I was going to... well, I guess I was going to bribe you with this. Now, it is in answer to your question."

There's silence, save for a short gasp. Finally, Michael speaks. "I-I'm sorry, is that a vlaric heart? And you're just giving me it?"

"What if my precious little Human used up an ordinary diamond, hmm? You know how it works, yes?"

"Bathe the gem in flames until the sun rises. ...The frame is gold, though."

I'm beginning to feel a pit in my stomach. It sounds like Michael has missed the implication behind such a valuable gift.

A laugh from Chaor. "It comes out. One as smart you should be able to figure out how."

"Thank you. You don't know how much-"

Michael's voice is cut short by a cry of surprise, then a muffled hum. His heartbeat doubles its pace, while his breathing stops entirely.

Chaor voice sounds after an unbearable pause. "Did I startle you?"

Michael's breathing is sharp and quick. "All of a sudden the only thing I could see was the inside of your mouth! I thought you were going to bite my head off!"

"My apologies. I will be sure to treat you more gently."

More disquieting sounds of sucking flesh, then a gasp from Michael.

"You need not worry about me eating you, but do know that you are... delicious."

"Glad to hear it..." An unconvincing tone.

"I wonder how the rest of your body tastes..."

I don't want to hear this. I want to remove the spying ear from my helmet and toss it as far away as possible. I want to reach through it and strangle Chaor myself.

I can't do that, though. I need to listen. I need to spring into action at any moment and if I miss my signal, all of this could be for nothing. Instead, I sit and suffer in spirit alongside Michael, listening to his moans and cries of pain, at Chaor's grunts and roars, all into a sleepless night.

No. I won't be the one to kill Chaor. Michael should have that honor. I'll simply hold him still when the time comes. Assuming certain others give Michael the chance, anyway...

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

At least it gets better after this, right?

For certain values of better.

⁂ ⁂ ⁂

Chaotic belongs to TCDigital.